Drivers confused about daytime running lights

[Mike Ruff, GW editor]

An RAC opinion panel survey of 2,061 motorists found that 62 per cent claimed to see other cars and vans driving in dull overcast conditions without any rear lights on, while they noted these vehicles did have lights on at the front.

While all new vehicles have to have daytime running lights at the front, it is not a requirement to fit them at the rear, yet some manufacturers choose to do so.

According to the RAC, it’s this issue that appears to be causing confusion and frustration for road users in dull driving conditions as many drivers don’t turn on their dipped lights or sidelights, perhaps mistakenly thinking that because they have daytime running lights on automatically at the front the same applies to the rear lights.

[See the full post at: Drivers confused about daytime running lights]

[craig ford]

Not only what is mentioned above, but the fact that DRL’s are designed for daytime use only, so when you see people with just front DRL’s illuminated, they dazzle oncoming traffic in low/poor light conditions. People who own cars really should be reading their handbook to learn how to operate them correctly.

[Ken Ashton]

DLRs are the most useless thing invented by someone sitting in an office ! They can be dazzling and doesn’t the highway code say that aux driving lights (ie fog) must be off in normal visibility? It is the rear of the car that is vulnerable and might benefit from lights – you only see the front of another car from the other side of the road ! Unless of course the driver is not good at junctions .

[Mark Bradbury]

I think we have a growing sector of motorists that feel the only responsibility they have is to point the car in the direction they wish to go. Lights and indicators etc are just to much of an effort, reading the handbook to find where the headlights or indicator stalk is.. Well thats never going to happen

[Peter fearnley]

Another EU directive (I’ll be very glad when we finally get out of it)I’m sure it is clear to see that motorists don’t realise their rear lights don’t operate with DRL surely the pen pushers thought about that no of course not it’s like how did the government allow 1st generation smart utility meters to not work if you change energy supplier – a lot of consulting goes on into these things but no common sense

[Ray law]

Can we name & shame the person who thought it was a good idea just to have drl on the front only ,As a tester I wonder why we test front side lights

[Nigel Tye]

DRL’s are absolutely ridiculous, at last somebody has recognised this as a problem and hopefully drivers can be educated on using dip beam instead.

[Author]

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